Softball Game Preview: Vermilion Sailors vs. St. Joseph Academy Jaguars

The Vermilion Sailors will challenge the St. Joseph Academy Jaguars at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams have had a bumpy ride up to this point with four consecutive losses for Vermilion and five for St. Joseph Academy.

Vermilion blew Willard out of the water the last time the pair played, but on Monday Willard got their revenge. The Sailors fell just short of the Crimson Flashes by a score of 11-9. On the bright side, the nine- run performance marked the Sailors' highest-scoring game to date.

Abby Gawry and Bailey Piwinski did some serious damage despite the final result: Gawry scored two runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4, while Piwinski scored two runs while going 1-for-3. Kirstyn Palmer was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.

Meanwhile, St. Joseph Academy lost 13-3 to Gilmour Academy on Wednesday. That's two games in a row now that the Jaguars have lost by exactly ten runs.

St. Joseph Academy saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Sylvia Mittendorf, who scored a run while going 1-for-2.

St. Joseph Academy's loss dropped their record down to 5-8. As for Vermilion, their defeat dropped their record down to 0-4.

Thursday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Vermilion hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .322. However, it's not like St. Joseph Academy struggles in that department as they've averaged .344. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.

Vermilion came out on top in a nail-biter against St. Joseph Academy when the teams last played back in April of 2024, sneaking past 8-7. Will the Sailors repeat their success, or do the Jaguars have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.